scholarly journals A survey of tire-breeding mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) in the Dominican Republic: Considerations about a pressing issue

Biomédica ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 40 (3) ◽  
pp. 507-515 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mikel A. González ◽  
María Altagracia Rodríguez-Sosa ◽  
Yohan Enmanuel Vásquez-Bautista ◽  
Elizabeth del Carmen Rosario ◽  
Jesús Confesor Durán-Tiburcio ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Organic Matter ◽  
Dominican Republic ◽  
Abundant Species ◽  
Human Populations ◽  
Immature Stages ◽  
Breeding Sites ◽  
Larval Habitats ◽  
Positive Effect ◽  
Artificial Reservoirs

Introduction: Discarded vehicle tires represent a serious threat both to the environment and to public health as they have the potential to harbor important mosquito (Diptera: Culicidae) vectors.Objective: To assess the importance of used vehicle tires as larval habitats for mosquito fauna that colonize these artificial reservoirs in Jarabacoa, Dominican Republic.Materials and methods: Used tires were sampled with pipettes at specialized tire fitting shops and scattered stockpiles of tires between June and August, 2018.Results: We sampled 396 tires; 57 (Container Index=14.4%) were positive for immature stages and contained 2,400 specimens, 11 species, and four genera (Anopheles, Aedes, Culex, and Toxorhynchites). The most abundant species was Aedes albopictus (42.3%) followed by Aedes aegypti (34.3%), and Culex quinquefasciatus (14.0%) while other species (9.4%) were less abundant. The container index varied significantly among the different tire sizes (χ2=13.4; p≤0.05). The highest infestation levels were found in the largest tires. A low positive correlation (r=0.38, n=396; p≤0.001) between the tire size and the prevalence of immature stages was recorded. The presence of organic matter had an overall positive effect on the infestation levels (U=11,430.0; p≤0.001).Conclusions: These rubber residues, usually located nearby human populations, represent suitable breeding sites for arboviruses vectors such as dengue, chikungunya, Zika, and West Nile.

scholarly journals Micro-environmental features associated to container-dwelling mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) in an urban cemetery of the Dominican Republic

2019 ◽  
Vol 67 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mikel A. González ◽  
María Altagracia Rodríguez Sosa ◽  
Yohan Enmanuel Vásquez Bautista ◽  
Lorenzo Diéguez Fernández ◽  
Miguel Borge de Prada ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Dominican Republic ◽  
Water Volume ◽  
Immature Stages ◽  
Breeding Sites ◽  
Culex Nigripalpus ◽  
Ecological Variables ◽  
Artificial Breeding ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Control And Prevention ◽  
Surveillance Programs

Mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) are important vectors of diverse pathogenic organisms, particularly arboviruses and protozoa. The immature stages of mosquitoes occur in a wide range of natural or human-made aquatic habitats. On this basis, some anthropogenic places such as cemeteries, usually serve as thrive and productive artificial-breeding habitats for mosquitoes. Despite being important foci for vector species, urban cemeteries are frequently overlooked in control and surveillance programs. This study evaluates the association of ecological variables and attributes (type of material, presence of flowers, water availability and height from the ground) of the breeding sites with the levels of infestation of mosquito immature stages. In 2017, an entire urban cemetery in Jarabacoa (Dominican Republic) was sampled at two different climatic periods (March: dry and August: rainy) for the characterization of the artificial breeding-sites, collection of immature stages of culicids and subsequent laboratory rearing for species identification. In total 968 containers were studied, containing 7 758 immature stages in 203 (21.0 %) water-filled containers which accounted for four species: Culex quinquefasciatus (50.5 %), Aedes aegypti (47.1 %), Aedes albopictus (1.9 %) and Culex nigripalpus (0.4 %). The mean of A. aegypti immatures in infested containers was roughly two times higher compared to C. quinquefasciatus and significantly lower compared to A. albopictus. The total Container Index (CI) was 20.9 %, and among the type of materials, those made from rock (cement, ceramic, and mud) and plastic had the highest CI = 25.9 % and 23.4 %, respectively. Almost 95 % of the total infested water-filled containers were made of plastic or rock. No association was found between the type of material of the containers and the density of mosquitoes. However, overall, greater densities of immature stages were found at ground than at higher levels. A weak positive correlation between water volume and density was found in some species of immature stages. Significantly higher number of C. quinquefasciatus were recorded in containers with flowers and large water volume. In contrast, A. aegypti immature stages were more frequent in containers without flowers. A weak negative association between water volume and infestations was found for A. albopictus immatures. As reflected of their opportunistic behaviour and broad ecological plasticity, Culex spp. and Aedes spp. mosquitoes were abundant pests in cemetery habitats where were able to breed in almost any kind of water-filled container regardless the type of material. However, our study showed that some ecological variables have critical impact for the development of the immature stages of some species. The health authorities and cemetery keepers can benefit from these results by focusing on the implementation of detailed plans and integrated strategies for the control and prevention of cemetery infestations by mosquitoes.

Diversity of Mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) in the Bom Retiro Private Natural Heritage Reserve, Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil

2022 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amanda Queiroz Bastos ◽  
Cecilia Ferreira de Mello ◽  
Júlia dos Santos Silva ◽  
Hélcio Reinaldo Gil-Santana ◽  
Shayenne Olsson Freitas Silva ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Rio De Janeiro ◽  
Diversity Index ◽  
Abundant Species ◽  
Immature Stages ◽  
Larval Habitats ◽  
Natural Heritage ◽  
Wiener Diversity Index ◽  
Water Tanks ◽  
Janeiro State

Abstract This study registers the diversity of Culicidae in the Bom Retiro Private Natural Heritage Reserve (RPPNBR), Rio de Janeiro state, Brazil, based on the collection of the immature stages in natural and artificial larval habitats. Larvae and pupae were collected monthly at two sites of the RPPNBR from May 2014 to July 2015 using dippers and aquatic pipettes. The diversity of the mosquito community was described using the Shannon–Wiener Diversity Index (H′), as well as diversity, richness, and dominance of species found in different larval habitats (lake, bamboos, bromeliads, and artificial vessels). The Mann–Whitney test was used to calculate differences between the two natural and artificial habitats. Overall, 15,659 specimens belonging to 25 species, ten genera, and two subfamilies were collected. The most abundant species collected at sites that were reforested recently were Culex pleuristriatus Theobald, 1903, Limatus durhamii (Theobald, 1901), Aedes albopictus (Skuse, 1895), Culex neglectus (Lutz, 1904), and Culex retrosus (Lane & Whitman, 1951). In a forest preserved site, the most abundant species were Cx. neglectus, Culex iridescens (Lutz, 1905), Sabethes identicus (Dyar & Knab, 1907), Wyeomyia arthrostigma (Lutz, 1905), and Li. durhamii. With respect to larval habitats, 0.1% of the specimens were collected along the edge of a lake, 5.5% in bamboos, 35.9% in bromeliads, and 58.4% in artificial containers. Only 5.5% of the specimens were collected in the forest preserved site, with the remaining samples from the site with altered vegetation. A greater species richness and diversity were found in forest-altered sites compared to the forest preserved site. Several species were collected in the water accumulated in the nylon lids of plastic water tanks. Such vessels can promote an increase in mosquito population density in the environment surrounding the study area.

Larval habitats of common Culicoides Latreille (Diptera, Ceratopogonidae) in Kenya

1976 ◽  
Vol 66 (3) ◽  
pp. 421-425 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Lubega ◽  
C. P. M. Khamala
Keyword(s):  
Organic Matter ◽  
Water Content ◽  
Organic Content ◽  
Immature Stages ◽  
Larval Habitats ◽  
Breeding Habitats ◽  
General Systems ◽  
Emergence Traps ◽  
Species Preferences ◽  
High Organic Content

AbstractThe larval habitats of Culicoides species were determined by examining a total of 1 476 samples collected from different ecological environments in various parts of Kenya. Immature stages were collected from suspected breeding habitats and adults were reared. Adults were also captured in emergence traps and then identified. To determine species preferences, if any, the materials yielding Culicoides were analysed for pH, organic matter and water content.Fifty-seven percent of the samples yielded a total of 26 species of Culicoides. Sites in which Culicoides occurred were classified into eleven habitats grouped into four major systems, namely, aquatic, transitional, terrestrial and general systems. Most species were found breeding over a wide pH range in sites which were wet at least part of the time. A few species appeared to select breeding habitats with a high organic content.

Detection of Flaviviral-Like DNA Sequences in Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae) Collected From Argentina

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Melisa B Bonica ◽  
Dario E Balcazar ◽  
Ailen Chuchuy ◽  
Jorge A Barneche ◽  
Carolina Torres ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Aedes Aegypti ◽  
Dna Sequences ◽  
Immature Stages ◽  
Public Health Burden ◽  
The Past ◽  
Health Burden ◽  
The World ◽  
Aegypti Genome ◽  
Dengue Epidemics

Abstract Diseases caused by flaviviruses are a major public health burden across the world. In the past decades, South America has suffered dengue epidemics, the re-emergence of yellow fever and St. Louis encephalitis viruses, and the introduction of West Nile and Zika viruses. Many insect-specific flaviviruses (ISFs) that cannot replicate in vertebrate cells have recently been described. In this study, we analyzed field-collected mosquito samples from six different ecoregions of Argentina to detect flaviviruses. We did not find any RNA belonging to pathogenic flaviviruses or ISFs in adults or immature stages. However, flaviviral-like DNA similar to flavivirus NS5 region was detected in 83–100% of Aedes aegypti (L.). Despite being previously described as an ancient element in the Ae. aegypti genome, the flaviviral-like DNA sequence was not detected in all Ae. aegypti samples and sequences obtained did not form a monophyletic group, possibly reflecting the genetic diversity of mosquito populations in Argentina.

scholarly journals Public health messages on arboviruses transmitted by Aedes aegypti in Brazil

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
India L. Clancy ◽  
Robert T. Jones ◽  
Grace M. Power ◽  
James G. Logan ◽  
Jorge Alberto Bernstein Iriart ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Health Belief Model ◽  
Behaviour Change ◽  
Health Belief ◽  
Health Messages ◽  
Breeding Sites ◽  
Potential Effectiveness ◽  
Public Health Messages ◽  
Belief Model ◽  
The Health Belief Model

Abstract Background The outbreak of Zika virus in Brazil in 2015 followed the arrival of chikungunya in 2014 and a long history of dengue circulation. Vital to the response to these outbreaks of mosquito-borne pathogens has been the dissemination of public health messages, including those promoted through risk communication posters. This study explores the content of a sample of posters circulated in Brazil towards the end of the Zika epidemic in 2017 and analyses their potential effectiveness in inducing behaviour change. Methods A content analysis was performed on 37 posters produced in Brazil to address outbreaks of mosquito-borne pathogens. The six variables of the Health Belief Model were used to assess the potential effectiveness of the posters to induce behaviour change. Results Three overarching key messages emerged from the posters. These included (i) the arboviruses and their outcomes, (ii) a battle against the mosquito, and (iii) a responsibility to protect and prevent. Among the six variables utilised through the Health Belief Model, cues to action were most commonly featured, whilst the perceived benefits of engaging in behaviours to prevent arbovirus transmission were the least commonly featured. Conclusions The posters largely focused on mosquito-borne transmission and the need to eliminate breeding sites, and neglected the risk of the sexual and congenital transmission of Zika and the importance of alternative preventive actions. This, we argue, may have limited the potential effectiveness of these posters to induce behaviour change.

scholarly journals Mosquitoes of the Maculipennis complex in Northern Italy

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mattia Calzolari ◽  
Rosanna Desiato ◽  
Alessandro Albieri ◽  
Veronica Bellavia ◽  
Michela Bertola ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Abundant Species ◽  
Northern Italy ◽  
Malaria Vectors ◽  
Distribution Data ◽  
Correct Identification ◽  
Ecological Niche Models ◽  
Breeding Sites ◽  
Anopheles Atroparvus ◽  
Species Inquirenda ◽  
Maculipennis Complex

AbstractThe correct identification of mosquito vectors is often hampered by the presence of morphologically indiscernible sibling species. The Maculipennis complex is one of these groups that include both malaria vectors of primary importance and species of low/negligible epidemiological relevance, of which distribution data in Italy are outdated. Our study was aimed at providing an updated distribution of Maculipennis complex in Northern Italy through the sampling and morphological/molecular identification of specimens from five regions. The most abundant species was Anopheles messeae (2032), followed by Anopheles maculipennis s.s. (418), Anopheles atroparvus (28) and Anopheles melanoon (13). Taking advantage of ITS2 barcoding, we were able to finely characterize tested mosquitoes, classifying all the Anopheles messeae specimens as Anopheles daciae, a taxon with debated rank to which we referred as species inquirenda (sp. inq.). The distribution of species was characterized by Ecological Niche Models (ENMs), fed by recorded points of presence. ENMs provided clues on the ecological preferences of the detected species, with An. daciae sp. inq. linked to stable breeding sites and An. maculipennis s.s. more associated to ephemeral breeding sites. We demonstrate that historical Anopheles malaria vectors are still present in Northern Italy.

Microcystin Exposure Pathways and Human Health

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-5
Author(s):  
Rajesh Melaram ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Policy Development ◽  
Mitigation Strategies ◽  
World Health ◽  
Health Concern ◽  
Human Populations ◽  
Algal Toxins ◽  
Potential Health ◽  
Exposure Pathways ◽  
Green Algal

Microcystins (MCs) are blue-green algal toxins produced by freshwater cyanobacteria. Their environmentally relevant concentrations throughout global surface waters have tampered with human populations’ drinking and recreational supplies. MCs have gained immense public health attention due to their potential health effects. Microcystin-LR (MC-LR) is the most toxic variant of the MCs. Investigations on MC-LR toxicity and detection in water signify a growing potential environmental health concern worldwide. The World Health Organization established a provisional drinking water guidance value of 1 μg/L and a provisional recreational exposure guidance value of 10 μg/L for MC-LR. This review surveys human MC exposure pathways and integrates epidemiological studies to support MCs’ critical exposure pathways. A discussion on monitoring and mitigation strategies provides a guide for policy development in adopting MCs’ regulatory levels to protect public health.

scholarly journals Species of Geotrupidae (Coleoptera: Scarabaeoidea) in Aquidauana, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil

2013 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 349-352
Author(s):  
Sérgio Roberto Rodrigues ◽  
Anderson Puker
Keyword(s):  
Organic Matter ◽  
Light Trap ◽  
Abundant Species ◽  
Ecological Role ◽  
Mato Grosso ◽  
The Family ◽  
Total Capture ◽  
First Time ◽  
Mato Grosso Do Sul

Coleoptera of the family Geotrupidae play an important ecological role in the decomposition of animal and plant organic matter. In Brazil there is little information on the diversity and distribution of this group, thus, this work had a purpose to study Geotrupidae species, occurring in Aquidauana, MS. A survey for geotrupids was conducted in Aquidauana, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil. Beetles were captured using a light trap over a period of two years, from January 2006 to December 2007. A total of 907 specimens were collected and identified to eight species. From the subfamily Bolboceratinae, the species identified were Bolbapium minutum (Luederwaldt, 1929) and Pereirabolbus castaneus (Klug, 1845). In the subfamily Athyreinae the species identified were Athyreus bilobus Howden & Martínez, 1978, Parathyreus aff. bahiae, Neoathyreus aff. julietae, N. sexdentatus Laporte, 1840, N. centromaculatus (Felsche, 1909) and N. goyasensis (Boucomont, 1902). Four species (A. bilobus, N. centromaculatus, N. goyasensis and P. castaneus) are reported for the first time in Aquidauana, MS, Brazil. The most abundant species, representing 85.9% of the total capture, was B. minutum. The greatest numbers of specimens was caught from October to December of both years of the study.

scholarly journals Studies on mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) and anthropic environment: 2 - Immature stages research at a rice irrigation system location in South-Eastern Brazil

1993 ◽  
Vol 27 (4) ◽  
pp. 227-236 ◽  
Author(s):  
Oswaldo Paulo Forattini ◽  
Iná Kakitani ◽  
Eduardo Massad ◽  
Daniel Marucci
Keyword(s):  
Malaria Vector ◽  
Irrigation System ◽  
Immature Stage ◽  
Immature Stages ◽  
Breeding Sites ◽  
Experimental Station ◽  
Eastern Brazil ◽  
Rice Irrigation ◽  
Mosquito Breeding ◽  
Natural Breeding

A relation between a rice irrigation system and mosquito breeding was established in a study undertaken at the Ribeira Valley Experimental Station, from January through December 1992. Flooding favoured Anopheles (Nyssorhynchus) and Culex (Melanoconion) species, while empty paddies condition were propitious to Aedes scapularis and Culex (Culex) species. Compared with a more primitive area of the same region, several species showed high a degree of adaptation to the anthropic environment. Among them, Anopheles albitarsis, a potential malaria vector that breeds in the irrigation system, has shown immature stage production thirteen times higher than at the natural breeding sites. In addition, Ae. scapularis, An. oswaldoi, Cx. bastagarius, and Cx. chidesteri presented high levels of synanthropy.

scholarly journals Evaluation of molecular characterization and phylogeny for quantification of Acanthamoeba and Naegleria fowleri in various water sources, Turkey

PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (8) ◽  
pp. e0256659
Author(s):  
Mehmet Aykur ◽  
Hande Dagci
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Public Awareness ◽  
Public Health Problem ◽  
Water Sources ◽  
Quantitative Detection ◽  
Human Populations ◽  
Rrna Gene ◽  
Natural Environments ◽  
Specific Primers ◽  
Important Public Health Problem

Free-living amoeba (FLA) is widely distributed in the natural environment. Since these amoebae are widely found in various waters, they pose an important public health problem. The aim of this study was to detect the presence of Acanthamoeba, B. mandrillaris, and N. fowleri in various water resources by qPCR in Izmir, Turkey. A total of (n = 27) 18.24% Acanthamoeba and (n = 4) 2.7% N. fowleri positives were detected in six different water sources using qPCR with ITS regions (ITS1) specific primers. The resulting concentrations varied in various water samples for Acanthamoeba in the range of 3.2x105-1.4x102 plasmid copies/l and for N. fowleri in the range of 8x103-11x102 plasmid copies/l. The highest concentration of Acanthamoeba and N. fowleri was found in seawater and damp samples respectively. All 27 Acanthamoeba isolates were identified in genotype level based on the 18S rRNA gene as T4 (51.85%), T5 (22.22%), T2 (14.81%) and T15 (11.11%). The four positive N. fowleri isolate was confirmed by sequencing the ITS1, ITS2 and 5.8S rRNA regions using specific primers. Four N. fowleri isolates were genotyped (three isolate as type 2 and one isolate as type 5) and detected for the first time from water sources in Turkey. Acanthamoeba and N. fowleri genotypes found in many natural environments are straightly related to human populations to have pathogenic potentials that may pose a risk to human health. Public health professionals should raise awareness on this issue, and public awareness education should be provided by the assistance of civil authorities. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study on the quantitative detection and distribution of Acanthamoeba and N. fowleri genotypes in various water sources in Turkey.

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